BASEBALL NEWS

• White Sox and Braves complete Vazquez trade 12/4/2008, 3:38 p.m. CST
ATLANTA (AP) — Javier Vazquez knows exactly what the Atlanta Braves were looking for when they traded for him: A durable starter to plug one of the holes in their uncertain rotation.

• Red Sox finalize deal with Japanese RHP Tazawa 12/4/2008, 3:36 p.m. CST
BOSTON (AP) — The Red Sox anded another Japanese pitcher, completing their contract with right-hander Junichi Tazawa on Thursday.

• APNewsBreak: Increase in MLB salary slowed in 2008 12/4/2008, 1:18 p.m. CST
NEW YORK (AP) — Baseball salaries started to slow this year even before the economy cooled. The average salary in Major League Baseball this season was $2.93 million, the players' association said Thursday in its annual report. The 3.6 percent increase was the smallest since 2004, when the average declined 2.5 percent from the previous season.

• Giants make Renteria their new shortstop 12/4/2008, 1:09 p.m. CST
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Edgar Renteria became the second free agent to join the San Francisco Giants in as many days, receiving an $18.5 million, two-year contract to replace 11-time Gold Glove shortstop Omar Vizquel.

• White Sox send pitcher Javier Vazquez to Braves 12/4/2008, 10:51 a.m. CST
CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago White Sox completed a six-player trade with Atlanta on Thursday, sending right-hander Javier Vazquez and lefty reliever Boone Logan to the Braves for four prospects.

• Red Sox give AL MVP Pedroia a 6-year, $40.5M deal 12/3/2008, 5:30 p.m. CST
BOSTON (AP) — Dustin Pedroia has a Rookie of the Year award, an MVP, a Gold Glove and Silver Slugger and, of course, a World Series ring. And now he's got the big-bucks contract befitting one of the most decorated young players in baseball. The Red Sox second baseman, who earned $457,000 last season while winning the AL Most Valuable Player award, agreed Wednesday to a $40.5 million, six-year contract that could keep in Boston through at least 2014.

• Hampton signs 1-year deal with Astros 12/3/2008, 12:30 p.m. CST
HOUSTON (AP) — Oft-injured Mike Hampton finalized a one-year, $2 million deal with the Houston Astros on Wednesday, hoping to resurrect his career in the place where he became a prominent big league pitcher.

• Sources: Vazquez likely headed to Braves in trade 12/3/2008, 10:52 a.m. CST
ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Braves, in dire need for healthy veteran starting pitchers, have reached a tentative agreement to acquire right-hander Javier Vazquez from the Chicago White Sox in a six-player trade.

• Report: White Sox's move to Glendale can proceed 12/3/2008, 2:10 a.m. CST
TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — The Chicago White Sox are leaving Tucson, taking with them their balls and bats after the Pima County Board of Supervisors accepted a $5 million buyout.

• Sources: Vazquez likely headed to Braves in trade 12/2/2008, 8:21 p.m. CST
ATLANTA (AP) — Javier Vazquez is likely headed from the Chicago White Sox to the Atlanta Braves in a multiplayer trade.

• Mets: Ballpark will remain Citi Field 12/2/2008, 2:20 p.m. CST
NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Mets say the name Citi Field will remain on their new ballpark and believe the struggling bank will survive its current economic crisis following a government bailout.

• Japanese schoolgirl signs pro baseball contract 12/2/2008, 8:49 a.m. CST
TOKYO (AP) — A 16-year-old Japanese girl signed with a regional baseball team Tuesday, becoming the country's first female professional baseball player.

• Madonna, Alex Rodriguez in Mexico City 11/30/2008, 8:25 p.m. CST
MEXICO CITY (AP) — A-Rod and Madonna were together — in the same city, anyway.

• Tazawa moves closer to deal with Red Sox 11/28/2008, 11:28 p.m. CST
TOKYO (AP) — Japanese pitcher Junichi Tazawa moved a step closer to signing with the Boston Red Sox after rejecting offers from three other major league teams.

• Judge lifts restrictions on BALCO testimony 11/26/2008, 8:41 p.m. CST
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Thousands of pages of grand jury testimony related to the long-running steroids investigation of Barry Bonds and other athletes were unsealed Wednesday by a federal judge.

• K-Rod's agent: No talks until winter meetings 11/26/2008, 6:11 p.m. CST
NEW YORK (AP) — Francisco Rodriguez's agent won't start detailed discussions with teams until the winter meetings open in Las Vegas on Dec. 8.

• Report: Charity parts ways with troubled Clemens 11/26/2008, 4:36 a.m. CST
(AP) — Roger Clemens has been asked to end his involvement with a charity golf tournament he has hosted for four years as the fallout from the Mitchell Report continues to haunt the seven-time Cy Young award winner.

• AP Interview: Mitchell thinks drug use down in MLB 11/25/2008, 11:15 p.m. CST
NEW YORK (AP) — Nearly one year later, George Mitchell wouldn't change a word of his report. His investigation of drugs in baseball tarnished the reputation of Roger Clemens and dozens of other players, led to a toughened drug agreement and created an impression that clubhouses were teeming with performance-enhancers.

• AP Interview: Mitchell thinks drug use down in MLB 11/25/2008, 5:55 p.m. CST
NEW YORK (AP) — Nearly one year later, George Mitchell wouldn't change a word of his report.

• Marlins ballpark opening delayed to 2012 11/25/2008, 3:26 p.m. CST
MIAMI (AP) — The Florida Marlins' new ballpark won't open until the 2012 season, a one-year delay because a recent court challenge slowed the start of construction.

• Phillies 2B Utley has surgery on right hip 11/25/2008, 1:56 p.m. CST
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Phillies second baseman Chase Utley has had arthroscopic hip surgery and is expected to need four to six months to recover.

• Reports: McNamee gave DNA samples to investigators 11/25/2008, 11:12 a.m. CST
NEW YORK (AP) — Roger Clemens' former trainer gave samples of his DNA to federal investigators trying to ascertain whether the star pitcher committed perjury before Congress, two New York newspapers reported.

• Pirates sign Indian — not Cleveland — pitchers 11/25/2008, 5:45 a.m. CST
PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Pittsburgh Pirates hope Rinku Singh and Dinesh Patel really do have million-dollar arms.

• Reports: McNamee gave DNA samples to investigators 11/25/2008, 4:40 a.m. CST
NEW YORK (AP) — Roger Clemens' former trainer gave samples of his DNA to federal investigators trying to ascertain whether the star pitcher committed perjury before Congress, two New York newspapers reported.

• Ex-Mets OF Dykstra settles accounting firm lawsuit 11/25/2008, 3:14 a.m. CST
NEW YORK (AP) — Former New York Mets outfielder Lenny Dykstra has hammered out a deal with an accounting firm that claimed he owed it more than $100,000.

• Indiana girl sues for chance to play baseball 11/24/2008, 6:24 p.m. CST
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Logan Young has been playing baseball with the boys for nine years, and she and her parents don't think that should change now that she's in high school.

• 3 charges against Bonds dismissed 11/24/2008, 5:24 p.m. CST
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Three charges against Barry Bonds were dismissed Monday by a federal judge who left intact most of the indictment alleging he lied to a grand jury when he denied knowingly taking performance-enhancing drugs.

• Dodgers' Billingsley has surgery after fall 11/22/2008, 11:58 p.m. CST
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Dodgers pitcher Chad Billingsley had surgery on Saturday after fracturing his leg in a fall at his Pennsylvania home.

• Cuba throws 2 baseball stars off top team 11/21/2008, 2:33 p.m. CST
HAVANA (AP) — Ace pitcher Yadel Marti and star outfielder Yasser Gomez have been thrown off Cuba's top league team for "a grave act of indiscipline," likely ending their hopes of playing in the 2009 World Baseball Classic.

• Yankees control shifts to Steinbrenner's son Hal 11/20/2008, 8:45 p.m. CST
NEW YORK (AP) — For more than three decades, George Steinbrenner's imprints were all over the New York Yankees.